Systems and methods for filling voids and improving properties of porous thin films

ABSTRACT

A treated thin film that reduces the intrusions or migrations of photolithography materials is achieved by introducing a sol-gel layer onto a porous thin film prior to applying the photolithography/photoresist material layer. Curing the sol-gel layer results in the sol-gel layer merging or unifying with the underlying porous thin film layer so that the combined sol-gel/thin film layer exhibits substantially the same properties as the untreated porous thin film layer before the sol-gel was applied. As a result, a greater etching accuracy is achieved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] This invention relates to reducing the porosity of porous thinfilms.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Substrates having thin films are used commonly in manyapplications. Thin films are deposited upon substrates used routinely,for instance, in integrated circuits. Likewise, substrates having thinfilms are used in a multitude of micro-electro-mechanical devices.Substrates having thin films are also used in the semiconductorindustry, where great precision in the patterns formed in, and/orlocations of, the thin film formed upon the substrates is necessary. Thespecific patterning and/or positioning of the thin film formed upon asubstrate is typically achieved by controllably etching away the thinfilm material from the substrate using a photoresist mask, such that thethin film material remains in only those areas covered by thephotoresist mask.

[0005]FIG. 1 shows steps corresponding to earlier methods of depositingthin films on substrates. The substrate may be any known orlater-developed suitable material, such as glass, metal, or the like. Ingeneral, the substrate material will be appropriate for the applicationthe thin film device will be used with. The thin film is formed bysputtering a layer of material used to form the thin film onto thesubstrate, applying a layer of photoresist materials over the sputteredthin film layer, masking and developing the photoresist material layerto a desired pattern, and then etching away the unwanted photoresistmaterials and portions of the thin film layer to achieve the desiredpattern in the thin film. Often, the resulting thin film layer tends tobe porous. That is, the thin film will have voids, pores, holes, cracksand/or other surface penetrating defects.

[0006] Porosity in sputtered thin films is a common occurrence. Suchporosity in sputtered thin films contributes to problems, such asphotoresist intrusions, that render subsequent photolithographydifficult. Porosity in sputtered thin films also contributes to lateraletchant intrusions into sidewalls of a thin film, thus renderingsubsequent thin film etching difficult with respect to the precisionrequired in thin films. Likewise, porosity in sputtered thin filmsresults in a decreased mechanical thin film strength. Because of theweakened nature of the thin film, wire-bonding becomes difficult orunreliable. Further, porosity in sputtered thin films results in a lackof lateral film cohesion, which unfavorably compromises the physicalproperties of the thin film. For example, the transverseelectro-mechanical coupling co-efficient of a thin film may becompromised by the lack of lateral film cohesion that occurs in porousthin films.

[0007] After the thin film is deposited on the substrate, aphotolithography/photoresist material layer is applied over the thinfilm layer. The photolithography/photoresist material layer is commonlyformed by spin-casting the photolithography/photoresist material layeronto the thin film. Because the thin film has surface-penetratingdefects, the photolithography/photoresist material penetrates into theporous thin film. The photolithography/photoresist material is thenexposed through a mask to achieve a desired pattern of exposed/unexposedportions of the photolithography/photoresist material layer on the thinfilm.

[0008] Thereafter, the exposed, or unexposed, portion of thephotolithography/photoresist material layer is washed away or otherwiseremoved to leave the desired pattern of photolithography/photoresistmaterial layer on the thin film. An etchant to which the thin film, butnot the photolithography/photoresist material layer, is sensitive isthen applied to remove the portions of the thin film that are notprotected by the photolithography/photoresist material layer. Theremaining patterned photolithography/photoresist material layer is thenremoved, without damaging the underlying thin film to leave a patternedthin film layer.

[0009] While the above-described process is common, it also isinherently flawed in that the photoresist material, which is initiallyapplied to the thin film and that penetrate the voids or pores of theporous thin film, is often not successfully completely removed in areasintended to be etched prior to etching the thin film. In this case,portions of the thin film that were not to be protected by thephotolithography/photoresist material layer are not fully etched away bythe etchant because some photoresist remains in the unintended areas.Alternatively, the voids or other surface penetrating defects can allowthe etchant to penetrate under the patterned layer of thephotolithography/photoresist material layer. In this case, portions ofthe thin film that were to be protected by the patterned layer ofphotolithography/photoresist material layer are nonetheless etched away.This results in the thin film pattern upon the substrate being not asaccurate or precise as would be ideally provided by the patternedphotolithography/photoresist material layer. Furthermore, any etchantthat laterally intruded or migrated into unintended areas of the thinfilm may have weakened the thin film and substrate, and also results ina thin film pattern that is not as accurate or precise as desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] This invention provides systems and methods that reduce theporosity of thin film materials.

[0011] This invention separately provides systems and methods forimproving the quality of photoresist-patterned thin films.

[0012] This invention separately provides systems and methods thatreduce the incursion of photolithography/photoresist material into thinfilms.

[0013] This invention separately provides systems and methods thatreduce the ability of thin film etchants to intrude into thin filmsunder patterned photoresist layers.

[0014] This invention separately provides systems and methods that coatand penetrate a thin film with a sol-gel preparation to yield thecombinant sol-gel/thin film layer having physical propertiessubstantially the same as the original untreated thin film only layer.

[0015] In various exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods of thisinvention result in a treated thin film that reduces the ability of thephotolithography/photoresist materials to intrude into voids or othersurface penetrating defects in the thin film. In various exemplaryembodiments, the systems and methods of this invention additionally oralternatively provide a treated thin film that is better able to resistetchant migrations or intrusions into the thin film that would otherwisedisrupt or destroy the desired thin film pattern on the substrate.

[0016] In various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods ofthis invention, the treated thin film is formed by applying a sol-gellayer on the porous thin film after the porous thin film is formed on orover the substrate, but before the photolithography/photoresistmaterials are applied to the thin film. By applying the sol-gel to theporous thin film according to the systems and methods of this invention,the porous thin film can be solidified to remove many, if not all, ofthe various surface-penetrating defects. That is, the initially porousthin film and sol-gel combination forms a uniformly strong treated thinfilm layer. Generally, the sol-gel material, or a pre-cursor of thesol-gel material, is applied to the thin film in liquid form and thenconverted by post application processing, such as by baking or curingthe sol-gel material onto the thin film. In general, the sol-gelmaterial, and thus the treated thin film layer, will also have the sameetch rates and the same co-efficient of thermal expansion as theoriginal, untreated, porous thin film.

[0017] As a result, after the photolithography/photoresist materialshave been applied and patterned according to the mask pattern, theetchant will more accurately remove the unprotected areas of the treatedthin film relative to the protected areas of the treated thin film overwhich the photolithography/photoresist materials have been patterned.Migrations or intrusions of the photoresist materials and/or the etchantinto the thin film are reduced. Finally, because the thin film andsol-gel have similar co-efficients of thermal expansion, the strengthand durability of the substrate and thin film is increased as the voids,pores and/or other surface-penetrating defects are not as susceptible tocracking or otherwise failing under the force of energy transmissionfrom the thin film to a counterpart device or under heating insubsequent processing steps.

[0018] These and other features and advantages of this invention aredescribed in, or are apparent from, the following detailed descriptionof various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according tothis invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods of thisinvention will be described in detail with reference to the followingfigures, wherein:

[0020]FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a conventional method fordepositing a thin film on a substrate;

[0021]FIG. 2 represents a substrate having an ideal thin film layerformed on or over the substrate and a photoresist material layer formedover the thin film;

[0022]FIG. 3 illustrates a substrate having a thin film layer on thesubstrate and a photoresist material layer that has seeped into cracksor other surface defects of the thin film layer;

[0023]FIG. 4 illustrates the photoresist material layer of FIG. 3 afterexposing the photoresist layer through a mask;

[0024]FIG. 5 illustrates the thin film layer of FIG. 4 after the etchingand removal of the patterned photoresist layer;

[0025]FIG. 6 is a flowchart outlining one exemplary embodiment of amethod for forming a thin film layer on or over a substrate according tothe systems and methods of this invention;

[0026]FIG. 7 illustrates a substrate having a thin film formed on orover the substrate and a sol-gel layer formed on the thin film layer;

[0027]FIG. 8 illustrates the sol-gel layer seeping into and fillingcracks and/or surface defects in the thin film layer;

[0028]FIG. 9 illustrates a photoresist material layer applied on top ofthe combined sol-gel/thin film layer after the sol-gel has been cured;

[0029]FIG. 10 illustrates the photoresist material layer of FIG. 9 afterexposing and developing the photoresist layer through a mask; and

[0030]FIG. 11 illustrates the combined sol-gel/thin film layer of FIG.10 according to the systems and methods of this invention after etchingand removal of the patterned photoresist layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0031] This invention is directed to reducing the porosity in porousthin films and improving the accuracy and quality ofphotoresist-patterned thin films. Altering conventional methods ofmaking thin films by adding a sol-gel layer to the thin film layer priorto applying a photoresist material layer reduces the number of cracks orother surface defects in the thin film layer. Baking or curing thesol-gel layer after applying the sol-gel layer to the thin film layerresults in the sol-gel and thin film layers substantially combining toform a single unified layer of similar properties. As a result, thecombined sol-gel/thin film layer has, for example, a co-efficient ofthermal expansion or an etch rate that is substantially the same as thatof a continuous non-porous thin film of the same material, which thethin film ideally would have had without the sol-gel layer. Generally,the sol-gel material, or a precursor of the sol-gel material, is appliedto the thin film in liquid form and then converted by post applicationprocessing such as baking or curing to form a unified sol-gel/thin filmlayer.

[0032] It should be appreciated, of course, that the application of asol-gel layer to a porous thin film may be used in applications otherthan a photolithography/photoresist material etching application, whichis set forth and described herein as an exemplary illustration only ofsome of the benefits and advantages of reducing the effects of porositydefects in a thin film layer by adding and combining the sol-gel layerwith the thin film layer.

[0033] Other exemplary benefits and/or advantages of the combinedsol-gel/thin film layer having reduced porosity defects include anincreased mechanical integrity of the sol-gel/thin film layer. As aresult, more uniform strength or stability exists in the sol-gel/thinfilm layer rendering wire bonding, for example, more reliable. Forinstance, the sol-gel/thin film layer provides greater mechanicalstrength than non-sol-gel treated thin films.

[0034] Further, the uniformity and lateral cohesion of the sol-gel/thinfilm layer renders a medium having substantially the same velocity ofsound which improves the transmission reliability of acoustic soundwaves through the sol-gel/thin film layer. Likewise, because of thelateral cohesion of the sol-gel/thin film layer, electro-mechanicalproperties of the sol-gel/thin film layer are less likely to becompromised than non-sol-gel treated thin films. Photoresist intrusionsand/or lateral etchant intrusions are also reduced due to theapplication of the sol-gel layer upon the thin film layer.

[0035] Further, the sol-gel/thin film combinant layer will exhibitsubstantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the untreatedthin film layer, while at the same time reducing the porosity defectsthat otherwise often occur in sputtered thin films as discussed above.Other benefits and advantages, such as the planarization of the thinfilm layer by the sol-gel, for example, may also result from thesol-gel/thin film layer of the invention.

[0036]FIG. 1 shows a flowchart outlining a conventional method forproducing thin films on substrates. As shown in FIG. 1, after beginningthe process in step S100, operation continues to step S200, where asubstrate is provided. Then, in step S300, a thin film is deposited onor over the substrate. Next, in step S400, a photoresist material layeris applied over the thin film. Operation continues to step S500.

[0037] In step S500, the photoresist material layer is exposed through amask. Next, in step S600, the photoresist material layer is developed.Masking and developing the photoresist material layer in steps S500 andS600 results in a patterned photoresist material layer. Then, in stepS700, an etchant is applied to remove the thin film over which noremaining photoresist material layer remains. A stripper is subsequentlyapplied in step S800 to remove the remaining patterned portion of thephotoresist material layer over the thin film layer portion. Operationthen continues to step S900, where the method ends.

[0038]FIG. 2 shows a substrate 100 having a thin film layer 110 and aphotoresist layer 120 formed according to steps S200, S300 and S400.Ideally, the thin film layer 110 would have no voids, cracks or othersurface defects, as shown in FIG. 2. However, when a thin film layersuch as thin film layer 110 is deposited upon a substrate, such as thesubstrate 100, voids, cracks or other surface defects typically occur inthe thin film layer 110. The thin film layer 110 may be one of an oxideand a metallic salt, although it should be appreciated that othermaterials may be used to form the thin film layer 110 as well. Forexample, the oxide may be zinc. An exemplary list of other materials thethin film layer 110 may be formed of includes nitrides, sulfides,selenides, tellurides, arsenides, phosphides, borides, bromides,carbides, chlorides, cyanides, disulfides, fluorides, hydroxides,iodides, monoxides, oxyfluorides, oxynitrides, pentoxides, peroxides,titanides, aluminates, antimonides, silicates, silicides, stannates,titanates, and tungstates. Of course, it should be appreciated that anyother known or later-developed material may also be used in the thinfilm layer

[0039]FIG. 3 shows a thin film layer 111 on a substrate 101, where thethin film layer 111 exhibits a variety of voids 112, and cracks or othersurface defects 113. As a result of the cracks or other surface defects113, the photoresist material layer 121, when applied, seeps into thecracks or other surface defects 113.

[0040]FIG. 4 shows the result of masking and developing the photoresistmaterial layer 121 according to steps S500 and S600 of FIG. 1.Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, after masking and developing thephotoresist material layer 121, portions of the photoresist materiallayer 121 are removed, or washed away, except in those areas 122 whereit is desired to continue to cover and protect the thin film layer 111.However, in addition to the photoresist remaining in the protectionareas 122, where the photoresist material is intended or desired toremain, to protect the corresponding areas of the thin film layer 111,some photoresist material also remains in other, desirably-unprotected,areas of the thin film layer 111, such as in the cracks or other surfacedefects 113. This occurs because masking and developing the photoresistmaterial layer 121 typically removes only those parts of the photoresistmaterial layer 121 that are on the surface of the thin film layer 111.As a result, the remaining portions 123 of the photoresist materiallocated in the cracks and other surface defects 113 of the thin filmlayer 111 pose problems when the etchant is applied, as described abovewith respect to step S600 of FIG. 1.

[0041] However, as can be readily seen from FIG. 5, applying an etchantto a thin film layer 111 having cracks or other surface defects 113filled with the remaining portions 123 of the photoresist material layer121 results in not all of the thin film layer 111 being removed where itwas desired that all of the thin film layer 111 be removed. Thephotoresist material interferes with or contaminates the etching processwhen the photoresist material contaminates the voids or other surfacesdefects 113 in the thin film layer 111. Thus, undesirable thin filmportions 130 remain on the substrate 100 even after etching. Moreover,the voids 112 permit unpredictable etching to occur underneath theprotection portions 122 of the patterned photoresist material layer 121.Such unpredictable etching may result in, for example, the removal of aportion of the thin film layer 111 that was intended to remain afteretching. This occurs as the etchant penetrates under or around alocation such that the void 112 is located. As a result, an etchedportion 131 of the film 111 may occur such that a portion of the thinfilm layer 111 that was intended to be fully present is missing.

[0042]FIG. 6 is a flowchart outlining a first exemplary embodiment of amethod for forming a thin film on a substrate according to thisinvention. The thin film contemplated is a porous thin film that posesthe problems and disadvantages illustrated above with respect to FIGS.1-5, particularly the unpredictable etching resulting in the removal ofportions of the thin film layer that were intended to remain, andportions of the thin film layer that were intended to be removedremaining after etching the thin film. Reducing the porosity defects inporous thin films according to this invention improves the quality andaccuracy of the patterned thin films produced.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 6, beginning in step S1000, operation continuesto step S1100, where a substrate is provided. The substrate may be, forexample, glass, metal, or other material known or later developed thatis suitably appropriate to the application the thin film is to be usedwith. Then, in step S1200, a thin film layer is applied on or over thesubstrate. Next, in step S1300, a sol-gel layer is applied on the thinfilm layer. Generally, the sol-gel layer, or a precursor of the sol-gelmaterial, is applied in liquid form and converted by post applicationprocessing, such as by baking or curing, to the thin film layer.Applying the sol-gel layer thus differs from forming the thin filmsrepresented in FIGS. 1-5 and permits a reduction of the porosity defectsin the thin film layer to be obtained. Operation then continues to stepS1400.

[0044] In step S1400, the sol-gel layer is cured, by baking or any otherappropriate known or later developed curing techniques, to substantiallymerge and unify the sol-gel layer with the underlying thin film layer.Next, in step S1500, a photoresist material layer is applied over thetop of the combined sol-gel/thin film layer. Then, in step S1600, thephotoresist material layer is patterned using any appropriate known orlater-developed patterning technique such as exposing the photoresistmaterial through a mask. Operation then continues to step S1700.

[0045] In step S1700, the photoresist material layer is developed toproduce a desired pattern in the photoresist material layer over thecombined sol-gel/thin film layer. Then, in step S1800, an etchant isapplied to remove the combined sol-gel/thin film layer, except in thoseareas where the photoresist material layer remains to protect thecombined sol-gel/thin film layer. Subsequently, in step S1900, astripper is used to remove the protection portions of the photoresistmaterial layer to yield the patterned thin film with improved accuracyand minimal porosity defects. Next, in step S2000, the method ends.

[0046]FIG. 7 illustrates a substrate 1000 having a thin film layer 1100on or over the substrate 1000 and a sol-gel layer 1200 formed on thethin film layer 1100. Ideally, as shown in FIG. 7, the thin film layer1100 has no voids, crack or other surface defects. Thus, the sol-gellayer 1200 lies flat atop the upper surface of the thin film layer 1100.However, thin film layers deposited, or otherwise formed, on a substratetypically have voids and other defects due to their porous nature.

[0047]FIG. 8 shows a substrate 1001 with a more typical porous thin filmlayer 1101 in which a number of voids 1102, and a number of cracks orother surface defects 1103 are present. FIG. 8 also shows that in suchthin films 1101, the sol-gel layer 1201, applied on or over the uppersurface of the porous thin film layer 1101, seeps into and fills thecracks or other surface defects 1103 present in the porous thin filmlayer 1101.

[0048]FIG. 9 shows the substrate 1001 after the sol-gel layer 1201 andthe thin film layer 1101 have been cured and merged to form a combinedsol-gel/thin film layer 1110. The combined sol-gel/thin film layer 1110exhibits substantially similar properties to that which were originallyassociated with the porous thin film layer 1101. A photoresist materiallayer 1300 is placed on or over the surface of the combined sol-gel/thinfilm layer 1110. As a result of the combined sol-gel/thin film layer1110, masking and etching become more reliable as the combinedsol-gel/thin film layer 1110 is patterned. Further, the physicalproperties of the combined sol-gel/thin film layer become substantiallythe same as the original thin-film-only layer. Thus, the sol-gel/thinfilm layer has a co-efficient of thermal expansion substantially thesame as that of the thin-film-only layer.

[0049] As can be seen from FIG. 10, the combined sol-gel/thin film layer1110 presents a smooth, generally defect-free (or at leastdefect-reduced) upper surface. Thus, the portions of the photoresistmaterial layer 1300 that are to be removed can be removed accurately, sothat only the protection portions 1322 of the patterned photoresistmaterial layer 1300 remain. This patterning accuracy improves theaccuracy in etching away only the unwanted portions of the combinedsol-gel/thin film layer 1110.

[0050]FIG. 11 illustrates the patterned combined sol-gel/thin film layer1110 remaining after etching. As shown in FIG. 11, a reduced number of,and ideally no, remaining portions of combined sol-gel/thin film layer1110 exist on top of the substrate 1001 other than those areas of thecombined sol-gel/thin film layer 1110 that were under the protectionportions 1322 of the patterned photoresist layer 1300. Likewise, theunpredictable surfaces that occurred as a result of etchant seepageunderneath or around voids present in the combined sol-gel/thin filmlayer are reduced and ideally eliminated. Accordingly, more accuratethin film patterning and etching of the combined sol-gel/thin film layer1110 is achieved. Likewise, because curing the sol-gel in step S1400renders the combined sol-gel/thin film layer 1110 substantially the sameas the initially-provided porous thin film layer 1101 alone, the desiredproperties of the thin film device are generally obtained. As a result,according to the systems and methods of this invention, a more reliableand more accurate thin film device is achieved at minimal expense.

[0051] It should be appreciated that in some embodiments, stepsS1500-S1900 can be omitted if further processing of the sol-gel/thinfilm layer 1110 is not necessary or desirable, or that other processingin addition to, or instead of, photoresist patterning is to performed onthe sol-gel/thin film layer 1110. This may be especially so where anadditional layer, different than, or to the exclusion of, thephotoresist material layer is applied on or over the combinedsol-gel/thin film layer 1110. Such a combinant sol-gel/thin film layerhas a reduced number of porosity defects as compared to the originaluntreated thin film layer, so that a subsequent layer, or layers, otherthan photolithography/photoresist materials may be applied to thesol-gel/thin film layer 1110 without the risks a high number of porositydefects would otherwise pose. Accordingly, increased stability, strengthand structural integrity may be advantageously achieved in any devicehaving a sol-gel/thin film layer to reduce porosity defects otherwisepresent in an untreated thin film.

[0052] Further, it should be appreciated that in still otherembodiments, the steps S1500-S1900 may be omitted after the sol-gel/thinfilm layer 1110 is formed so that further processing other than, or incombination with, etching may occur with advantages of the reducedporosity defects resulting form the sol-gel/thin layer 1110. Otherexemplary benefits and/or advantages of the combined sol-gel thin filmlayer having reduced porosity defects include an increased mechanicalintegrity of the sol-gel/thin film layer. As a result, more uniformstrength or stability exists in the sol-gel/thin film layer, renderingwire bonding, for example, more reliable. Further, the uniformity of thesol-gel/thin film layer creates a medium having substantially the samevelocity of sound which improves the transmission reliability ofacoustic sound waves in the sol-gel/thin film layer. Photoresistintrusions and/or lateral etchant intrusion are also reduced due toapplying the sol-gel layer on the thin film layer. Other benefits andadvantages may also result from the sol-gel thin film layer of theinvention.

[0053] While this invention has been described in conjunction with thespecific embodiments above, it is evident that many alternatives,combinations, modifications, and variations are apparent to thoseskilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of thisinvention, as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, and notlimiting. Various changes can be made without departing from the spiritand scope of this invention.

What is claimed is: 1] A method of reducing the effects of surfacepenetrating defects in a substrate having a thin film, comprising:providing a substrate; applying a thin film on or over the substrate;applying a sol-gel layer on or over the thin film, the sol-gel layerfilling at least some voids, cracks or other surface penetrating defectspresent in the thin film; and curing the sol-gel layer to combine thesol-gel layer and the thin film layer into a sol-gel/thin film layer. 2]The method of claim 1, wherein the sol-gel is a liquid. 3] The method ofclaim 1, wherein curing the sol-gel yields the sol-gel/thin film layerthat exhibits at least one property that is substantially the same asthe corresponding property in the thin film layer resulting from theapplying step. 4] The method of claim 3, wherein the at least oneproperty is at least one of a coefficient of thermal expansion and anetch rate. 5] The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one propertyincludes, in addition, an increased mechanical strength. 6] The methodof claim 4, wherein the at least one property includes, in addition, asubstantially uniform medium for transmitting acoustic waves. 7] Themethod of claim 1, further comprising applying a photoresist materiallayer to the sol-gel/thin-film layer; exposing the photoresist materiallayer through a mask; developing the photoresist material layer toachieve a pattern of protected portions of the sol-gel/thin film layer;applying an etchant to remove unprotected portions of the sol-gel/thinfilm layer; and removing the photoresist material layer remaining overthe protected portions of the sol-gel/thin film layer. 8] A treated thinfilm having reduced effects of porosity voids or other surfacepenetrating defects, the treated thin film comprising: a substrate; aporous thin film layer formed on or over the substrate; and a sol-gellayer that fills voids, cracks or other surface penetrating defects inthe porous thin film layer. 9] The method of claim 7, wherein thesol-gel is a liquid. 10] The treated thin film layer of claim 8, whereincuring the sol-gel layer results in the sol-gel layer combining with theporous thin film layer to form the treated thin film layer. 11] Thetreated porous thin film of claim 10, wherein the treated thin filmlayer exhibits at least one property substantially similar to thecorresponding property in the porous thin film layer before the sol-gellayer was applied. 12] The treated porous thin film of claim 10, whereinthe at least one property is at least one of mechanical strength,coefficient of thermal expansion, etch rate, and velocity of sound. 13]The treated thin film of claim 11, further comprising a photoresistmaterial layer applied on or over the sol-gel/thin film layer, whereinthe photoresist material layer is patterned and developed to produce apatterned photoresist material layer defining protected and unprotectedportions of the treated thin film layer. 14] The treated porous thinfilm of claim 13, wherein the unprotected portions of the treated thinfilm layer are removed using an etchant such that a patterned treatedthin film is obtained. 15] A treated thin film layer having reducedeffects of porosity voids or other surface penetrating defects, thetreated thin film comprising: a substrate; a porous thin film layerformed on or over the substrate; and a sol-gel material that fillsvoids, cracks or other surface penetrating defects in the porous thinfilm layer. 16] The treated thin film of claim 15, wherein the sol-gelis a liquid. 17] The treated thin film of claim 15, wherein the treatedthin film includes at least one of an oxide and a metallic salt. 18] Thetreated thin film layer of claim 15, wherein the sol-gel materialincludes at least one material selected from the group consisting ofoxides, nitrides, sulfides, antimonides, arsenides, borides, bromides,carbides, chlorides, cyanides, disulfides, fluorides, hydroxides,iodides, monoxides, nitrides, oxyfluorides, oxynitrides, pentoxides,peroxides, phosphides, selenides, tellurides, titanides, aluminates,silicates, stannates, titanates and tungstates. 19] The thin film layerof claim 17, wherein the treated thin film layer includes a metallicsalt that includes zinc.